The innocence project is largely a volunteer organization focused on people who have been wrongly convicted. There are many chapters nationwide. Courts have freed three hundred innocent people across the country because of the hard work of the volunteers of the innocence project. The innocence project uses advances in science to prove actual innocence. The Texas Innocence Project defines actual innocence to mean two things. First, no crime was committed. Alternatively, the individual arrested was in no way involved in a crime that was committed. The process of appeals can be lengthy. These appeals can be subject to intense scrutiny.
The Story of Brian Banks, a California Man.
The wrongly convicted have many faces. One of the most shocking stories belongs to Brian Banks. In 2002, Brian Banks was a high school football player with a scholarship to the University of Southern California. That same year, a female student at his high school accused Banks of kidnapping and rape.
Under California law, Brian Banks faced 41 years to life in prison if convicted. Banks pled guilty and served five years and two months in the California penal system. After his release, the accuser contacted Banks on Facebook. The two arranged to meet and the accuser confessed to making up the whole story.
She had received a $1.5 million dollar settlement from the school district where she alleged the rape occurred. Even though he was released from prison after serving 5 years, Banks did get a life sentence because he had to register as a sex offender for life. Finding a job was near impossible for him.
Brian Banks contacted the innocence project to help him regain his life because the accused refused to do anything that would require her to return the civil settlement. With the help of the innocence project, Brian Banks secretly filmed the accuser’s statements that she lied about the rape. His attorney brought an action to have him was exonerated of any criminal charges related to the alleged rape. In 2012, a court in California set aside his conviction.
Brian Banks’ story is tragic. However, he has not let outrageous fortune dictate his path. Since his exoneration, Banks has focused on achieving his dream of playing professional football.
The Atlanta Falcons invited Banks to attend their football minicamp this year. In July the Falcons announced that Banks would attend the team training camp. If Brian Banks makes the roster, it will be one of the most dramatic turn of events for a person exonerated by the innocence project. Hopefully, Brian Banks will make the Falcons’ 53 man roster as a linebacker, and play in the Fall.
